One Shot After The Op
by 85Alicia
Summary: I'm feeling this hiatus so just thought I'd contribute to the Rayna&Deacon fluff that we are all missing


The tears streamed from her eyes as she was led to his room. Dr Rand politely turned making small talk with her as they approached the room door. She heard none of it as she caught a peek of him laying sound on the bed. She needed to be with him already. She tried to manoeuvre past as the doctor instructed that she could only have a few minutes. She nodded anything to give her access to Deacon as she brushed past politely. She stifled a sob as it tried to escape her throat as she reached his side. She blinked to get rid of the unshed tears that were distorting her vision.

"Hey babe." She whispered as her fingers laced through and stroked his hair. She searched for his hand with hers as she leaned forward pressing her lips softly but firmly against his. She peppered her kisses across his face to his neck.

"I love you darlin, please wake up before they make me leave you." She whispered pleadingly. She snuggled her face into the crook of his neck and she was relieved when she could smell his familiar scent. She breathed him in deeply as her hand pulled his head into her face. Small kisses lovingly placed.

A few minutes past as she spoke to him softly willing him awake for just a few seconds before the medical staff ushered her out and away from him. She relished these few moments of being close to him again. She suddenly realised that his hand was laced through her hair and he was cradling her head. She didn't look up instead his head turned into hers and their lips found one another. It was a slow, loving but a simple kiss. He could feel her tears wet against his neck.

"Ray." He breathed into her for no reason apart from wanting to hear her name.

"I love you so much." She whispered into him softly.

"I made it Ray?" He questioned still slightly disorientated.

"Yeh you made it babe just like I told you." She answered.

"I love you." He told her quietly stroking her hair.

"I know. You don't have to talk save your energy." She kissed him again lovingly.

"Ms Jaymes. Mr Claybourne needs his rest." The nurse stated breaking into their bubble.

"I'll just be a moment, thanks." She answered not breaking eye contact with Deacon. Her fingers running through his hair comfortingly. "I have to leave you to rest now babe."

"No Ray." He protested like a child getting his favourite toy taken away as his grip on her hand got stronger. She felt the tug on her heart not wanting to leave him either.

"You need to rest though babe." She told him as she felt fresh tears spring into her eyes.

"I'll rest better if you stay." He answered adamantly staring into her eyes pleadingly. She smiled feeling bad wanting to do as he asked and stay with him.

"It's not my decision. You gotta know I do not wanna leave you. But I gotta listen to the doctor babe. Go to sleep and the sooner you do the sooner you wake up and the sooner I get to see you again ok?" She pacified him. She dropped kisses all over his face.

"Dream, good dreams about me gorgeous man and I 'll dream, good dreams about you." She whispered as their eyes locked.

"I always dream about you." He murmured as she pressed her forehead against his.

"Ms Jaymes?" The nurse spoke from the doorway. She ignored her as she left one last kiss on his lips.

"I love you sleep well darlin."

"Love you." He said back as she reluctantly pulled away from him.

"Ray, tell my three babies out there I'm fine and I love them."

"I will babe."

"Ray, leave me you're scarf?" He requested before she got to the doorway.

"My scarf?" She questioned.

"Yeh."

"Ok get some sleep though and I'll see you real soon." She answered as she took off the scarf and handed it to him. He drew it up to his face inhaling the familiar scent of the women he loved. Her eyes couldn't leave him as she backed out of the room as the doctor took her place checking him over. She watched through the window as the doctor finished. He walked out closing the door. She looked over at him expectantly.

"He looks good. He just needs rest. Short visits for tonight then by tomorrow late afternoon you'll be able to sit with him cause I know you'll encourage him to rest." Caleb smiled as the look of relief washed over her.

"Yeh I most definitely will. Thank you to you and your team for taking good care of him. He means everything to us."

"I know. You don't need to thank me but you're welcome Rayna." She watched him through the window for a couple of minutes longer until she was sure he was settled before reluctantly leaving to go tell the girls the good news.

"Mom." Maddie stated aloud as she jumped up from the chair.

"How is he? Can I see him?" She asked as she quickly closed the gap between herself and her mom as she flew into her embrace.

"You can't right now sweet girl but he told me to tell his three babies that he's fine and that he loves you all a lot ok?" All three girls nodded. The relief washed over them as smiles broke through the sternness of worry.

"But right now I need you all to go home get some sleep so you can stay with him when he is allowed more visitors tomorrow. Would you do that for me?" She asked looking at Scarlett. They all agreed but reluctantly knowing that there was nothing that they could do.

"Do you promise to phone me if anything happens?" Maddie asked as the tiredness and worry caught up with her and tears of relief sprang into her eyes.

"Yes I will let you know." Rayna promised as she hugged them all in turn before they gathered their things and headed home.

A little while later she started to feel cold. She rummaged around in the bag she had packed for Deacon and pulled out a gingham shirt. She wrapped it around herself pulling the collar to her face. His scent comforting her as she pulled her knees up into her chest. It must have been around three and a half hours since she last seen him. It felt like an eternity. She closed her eyes thinking of her favourite moments with him some old like the time he kicked the toilet door in when the lock got stuck in that dirty honky tonk bar and she was trapped. She was only in there five minutes or so before she started to panic cause she couldn't get out. Then she heard his voice calling her name from outside. She had screamed his name and he burst in thinking something bad was happening to her. They spoke through the door to each other as he established what had happened and took control of the situation. He instructed her to stand up on the toilet while she heard him kick the shit out of the door. After about four kicks the door relented and swung open to reveal an upset sixteen year old Rayna. He grabbed her off that toilet and into his arms. She held onto him feeling relief and safety wash over her. He pulled away after a few moments to ask her if she was OK. The look in his eyes reflected her own and she raised up onto her tip toes to press her lips against his just for a second. It was her first proper kiss and she wanted it to be him. When she pulled back he said her name and asked if she was sure. She felt her head nod as his lips captured hers. His hands were on her face in her hair running down her back pulling her in close. She felt her lips part and his tongue flicked into her mouth. She had no idea what she was doing but it felt natural as she copied him her body melting into him as her stomach did summersaults. Her hands travelled across his back up to his face. She loved the feeling of his hair as she ran her fingers through it. That gig that night felt electric and later on they packed up quickly and got out into Deacons truck. She felt a bit awkward in that moment but he grabbed her hand and pulled it to his mouth kissing her open palm before clasping it in his own. He asked her how she felt about their earlier moment. She felt shy and didnt know what to say. He had told her he thought she was amazing and how special she was to him. She had responded telling him she felt the same. She had looked up into his eyes then and he leaned in to kiss her softly. He told her that he wanted her to be his girlfriend and that he had never felt this way before.

Right from the word go he was always so loving towards her. Her mind drifted then to some of the newer memories of him. The night at the cabin stuck in her mind as she replayed the events of what happened. She couldn't get the look in his eyes out of her head. The way he looked at her while they made love that night. The way he touched her so softly like she was the most precious and delicate thing in his world. It gave her chills just thinking about how he made her feel when they were together. He just knew her inside and out. She couldn't believe how she had survived all those years without him intimately. Throughout her marriage to Teddy it only worked because she could keep Deacon close. She couldn't lie at times between her and Teddy it was nice he tried hard and he made her feel good. He tried to know her completely but he wasn't Deacon and they weren't in love. She would lie in bed at night after Teddy rolled off of her and wait until he was asleep. She then took herself off to the guest room and indulged herself in her own sad little world of fantasy where only Deacon and she existed. She managed better without Teddy and enjoyed finishing herself off thinking only of the man she loved but unfortunately that certainly wasn't her husband.

He always seemed to know when she needed him, it was like a gift but at the time it annoyed her slightly. But... she knew in those moments that she was still the most important person in the world to him and always would be. Her decisions hadn't altered his opinion of her and she doubted anything ever would. He would never put anyone above her or the girls and she could honestly say that she only felt truly safe when she was with him. She felt wrong for feeling like that but deep down she knew Teddy would save himself first but with Deacon he would take on the world to protect her. She loved laying in his arms afterwards. His voice was always real low and gravelly she could feel it vibrate in her chest as they lay together. The way his fingers tangled in her hair relaxed her. She just loved the feeling of being whole for the first time in a very long time. She felt the sense of belonging, she belonged to him again and he to her. This thing between them wasn't normal it was intense, passionate, all consuming and perfect. The feeling of peace that trickled through her that night meant everything. After all the heartbreak of finding out about his cancer. He took all that pain away just being with him the way she had always wanted to be.

"Ms Jaymes?" The nurse said quietly into the cold room. Her voice sounded loud in Rayna's ears as they were so accustomed to the silence in her waiting room.

"Yes?" She startled sitting upright.

"Mr Claybourne is awake and threatening to get out of bed unless someone comes to fetch you." She filled Rayna in.

"Am I allowed to see him?" She asked feeling like she was back in school.

"Ideally we want him to rest but he wants to see you and is refusing to take no for an answer. If you could come and settle him we would appreciate it?" The nurse finished.

"I'm sorry he's not the best patient." She apologised secretly glad he was being a grump for once in her life. She rode the elevator the three floors up with the nurse in tow. The nurse tried to make small talk with her which she was grateful for but she didn't have the energy to construct the best answers. Finally they were on the corridor where Deacon's room was. She heard him before she seen him.

"I am getting out of this bed y'all can't stop me. Just bring Rayna up here and I'll go back to bed. It's that easy." She could hear him command.

"Deacon Claybourne don't you dare. Your backside better not leave that bed." She said over everyone in the room as they all turned to look at her.

"Ray." He smiled looking relieved.

"Don't be trying that smile on me you heard the nurses get in bed right now." She chided him like she would the girls. She walked purposefully towards the bed helping him lie back down before pulling the covers over him and tucking him in.

"I'm sorry. Y'all are so patient thanks for taking such good care of him." She apologised for him as they all began to thankfully leave the room.

"What was that all about? I told you to rest and I'd be back as soon as they would let me." She chided him again her eyes scanning him carefully to make sure he was ok.

"I know I'm sorry but I woke up and was hoping you would be here and you weren't. I asked them to go get you and they wouldn't. But I could feel myself getting... I just... I wanted you." He told her grasping her hand firmly in his as his eyes brimmed with unshed tears.

"Well I'm here with you now." She relented as she felt his lips caress her hand before he nuzzled into it. How could she stay mad at him when he did and said things like this? She laced her fingers into his hair as she sat down in the chair next to him. He turned towards her slightly with a bit of an effort and a groan.

"Stay with me Ray. Don't be mad I just wanted you was all."

"I know babe I'm not going anywhere."

"Pull the rail down and get in." He told her.

"I can't do that you'll get me in trouble."

"Well at least pull the rail down and rest you're head on this here pillow." He offered. She thought that sounded like a good compromise so did as he asked. She lowered the rail down and lay her head down next to his. Her nose brushed against his shoulder as she stretched her arm across him and placed one hand on his neck playing softly with his hair. He nuzzled into her hair as their free hands clasped one another's. Finally they both got some rest.

The nurse reappeared to ask Rayna to leave. However when she seen them she couldn't bare to disturb them. Maybe Ms Jaymes was the best medicine for Mr Claybourne because he was now sleeping like a baby.


End file.
